AGF restates commitment to enhance national cyber security

The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), has restated its commitment to partner with relevant agencies to enhance national cyber security.

Mr Ahmed Idris, Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), said this during the oversight visit by members of the Senate Committee on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Cybercrime in Abuja.

Idris disclosed that the office had engaged in an immense effort at protecting public fund using designated infrastructures.

Such infrastructures, he said, include: Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) among others.

According to the AGF, in order to mitigate risk, 99 per cent of its personnel are ICT compliance, and the office had partners relevant agencies to train and retrain the staff so as to be updated on Cyber security.

Idris also added that security and integrity background checks were always carried out by the agencies saddled with such tasks.

“OAGF also liaises with National Information Technology Department Agency for infrastructure and equipment specification approval,” he said.

Idris further said that the salary account on IPPIS platform was 793, 580 while Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the platform was 602 among others.

In his response, the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Yakubu Oseni, commended the management of OAGF for the measures put in place to mitigate risk and enhance cyber security.

Oseni noted that the oversight visit was inline with its statutory responsibility as enshrined in section 88 and 89 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.

He said that the committee was created for the need to mobilise the Nigerian system to meet up with the World of Information and Communication Technology and the promotion of cyber security.

“So, we are here on fact finding visit to ascertain the level of ICT compliance of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and we feel that we should start from all important Treasury House of the nation.

“And we have seen their ICT facilities and their level of preparedness in terms of cyber security, and we are satisfied with what is on ground.

“It shows that the management is up and doing, so we encourage him not to relent in his efforts to ensure cyber security, because hackers are always working 24 hours to make sure that they achieve their aim,” Oseni said.